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AVALON SAT ON A BENCH IN THE CORNER of the room, staring straight ahead at the wall. She and Oliver were now on the train to the capitol, who were awaiting their precious tributes. Her mind raced with many thoughts, her leg bouncing up and down as her entire body filled with anxiety. Just the thought of being in the games in a few days was enough to send shivers down her spine.
She turned her head to look at Oliver, who had his chin in his hands and his eyes shut. She could tell that the boy was nervous for the games as well, but then again, who wouldn't be? She shook her head as she continued to look straight ahead.
The only thing that brought her out of her thoughts was the sound of a door opening and closing, someone entering the room. Avalon looked up to meet eyes with her District representative.
"I believe we've never formally met," She said to the tributes. "I'm Sadira. You'll need to get used to my presence because I will be with you during your whole stay at the Capitol, and hopefully longer if one of you wins the games." The last part of the sentence made her loose eye contact with Sadira and send her spiraling back into her thoughts again.
"That's not helping, Sadira," a voice called from the hallway. A figure stepped into the room. The boy looked about her age, and he locked eyes with her. It wasn't until this moment that she realized who the boy was - Finnick Odair, the winner of last year's games. "Dont worry about her," he said, motioning to Sadira with his head. She simply nodded in reply, but Sadira's mouth opened in offense, and just as she was about to go on a long rant, Finnick stopped her by raising his hand. "I need to speak with the tributes," he stated.
"Why is that necessary at the moment?"
"I'm their mentor," he replied. "You can talk to them later. Let me help calm their nerves a bit." Sadira simply shook her head as she exited the room in disbelief. Finnick turned to them, grabbing a chair and setting in the floor right in front of them, sitting down so he was facing Avalon and Oliver.
"How are you holding up?" He asked.
"Not well," Oliver replied, not looking up from his hands. Avalon felt awful for the boy, and she put a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"I'm just trying not to think about it," Avalon stared honestly. Finnick nodded at their responses.
"I know exactly how you feel. But," he motioned to himself. "Look where I am now. I came out alive. You can too." He sent a soft smile to the two tributes, who returned it. "So, what are you good at? What do you have going in your favor for the games?"
Avalon thought hard. "I'm good at finding food, I guess. I've never really been good with weapons." Finnick nodded slowly.
"We're going to have to work on that, then," he stated, rubbing the back of his neck, which worried her more than she was before. "But I'm sure you'll be fine. I can help you." He turned to Oliver. "What about you?"
Oliver looked up in thought. "I spear-fished for a while, so I guess I could try throwing spears," he told Finnick, who smiled.
"That's great. That's.. really good. It'll help you a lot," he told the boy. He turned to Avalon, seeing how worried she suddenly had become. "Don't worry. You'll be fine," he told her. "I was scared too, when I was reaped, but I put in the work and came out the other end. So I need to be able to trust that you'll put in the work, too," he said, looking both of them in the eye. "District Four could use two wins in a row." Avalon and Oliver both nodded.
"Now, I would suggest getting some rest. You'll thank me for it later."
Avalon nodded, patting Oliver's shoulder and standing from her seat. She quickly thanked Finnick and headed to the hallway to find her room. She assumed it was the one on the far right, almost completely down the hallway, so she knocked on the door to make sure nobody was in there, then entered.
The room was breathtaking. It was larger than the one she lived in at her own home.
Home.
The word alone was enough to send Avalon over the edge. She had tried to accept the fact beforehand, on the way to board the train, but it had just now hit her. She was never going to see her home again. She was never going to see her family again. She was never going to see her District again.
Her breathing picked up, and she paced around the room as she tried to push her thoughts to the back of her mind, but they kept taking over, and soon she found her back against the wall, hands in her hair as she tried to slow the tears rapidly rolling down her cheeks.
This is it. This is my last few days alive. Nothing she did could stop the tears, so she just said her back down the wall, letting her head drop onto her knees, and letting herself cry.
It was the least she could do for herself.
♔♔♔
"Avalon? Avalon?!"
The sound of someone calling her name woke the girl up. She lifted her head from her knees and yawned, rubbing her eyes before she answered. "Yeah?"
The door suddenly opened, revealing a very panicked Sadira. "Goodness, Avalon. Get up, get up. We've arrived at the Capitol," she informed the girl. Avalon quickly stood up with the help of Sadira, and she brushed her clothes off quickly before heading out the door, Sadira finger-brushing her hair as they left the room. Oliver and Finnick were already waiting.
Oliver was looking out the window at the thousands of people waiting for them outside. He waved to a few, turning back to the group with a shocked expression on his face. Sadira smiles in return, bouncing with excitement.
"Who's ready to see the most beautiful place in the world?"
